Chapter Nine – okay so I got my numbers mixed up as Fan fiction did something or … grr never mind. Anyway so this chapter is the challenge and some other juicy bits along the way. Also you may want to grab some tissues I cried doing this

Vasile

By the time Dawn broke I was already outside waiting. Alina had insisted she come with me so at this moment she was beside me her hand clutching mine. I sighed and kissed her head before letting her go focusing on Christoph who was now walking into the centre of the field his father and his brother walking behind him. I growled and Alina clung to me making me turn to face her.

"Vasile" she whimpered and I sighed hugging her. I inhaled her sweet beautiful scent and I growled holding her close. I knew she was worried about me but I had to remain calm. I had to be strong. I was a born alpha and I had to act like one now.

"I will be fine Alina. I promise you" I whispered running my hands through her hair kissing her head. She looked up at me her hand running over my face her eyes full of fear.

"Please be careful" she pleaded and kissed my lips softly pulling me close. Her hands ran over me and locked around my neck as she kissed me her need showing.

"Are we going to fight?" Christoph smirked and Alina growled grabbing my shirt refusing to let me go as she glared at Christoph.

"Wait five minutes Pup. I need my mate" she snapped and Christoph looked down recognising a superior command. Now why couldn't he acknowledge me like that.

"Alina" I laughed and she smiled at me. I smiled back and kissed her head. She purred and I chuckled.

"You come back to me" she commanded and I smiled but I could tell there was something she was not telling me and it worried me a little.

"I will" I promised and she took a visible deep breath in.

"Good because we need you" she told me and she made emphasis on the we part.

"We?" I asked confused and she bit her lip smiling. I laughed as she hugged me her lips going close to my ears.

"I am pregnant Vasile" she whispered and I looked at her shocked. My hands went to her stomach and I heard many people gasp and whisper as I kissed her deeply. My baby was here in my mate. Mine.

"VASILE" my father yelled and I looked at her amazed and shocked.

"We will talk about this when I am back" I promised her and she smiled as I walked towards Christoph.

I phased and stood proud in my wolf form watching as Christoph did the same. Members of our pack stood around the side of the circle they stood on indicating who they favourited and I was pleased to see that only a few supported Christoph.

We circled each other for a long time my eyes looking to Mina when I was facing her. Then finally he made his move. The challenge had begun.

Alina

I knew it was unfair what I was doing to Vasile but I knew that he needed to know. If this was it then I wanted him to know that his baby was inside me a part of me wanted him to see that he had to try his absolute best because he wasn't just fighting for the two of us anymore he was fighting for our baby too.

The fight began and I stood holding my stomach as I watched feeling ill. I kept trying to think positive and tell myself that it would all be okay. It had to be.

I was used to seeing these battles so it was no shock to me and even if it was I couldn't react. It was a rule. The women were silent. So I stood there and watched the sickness growing more and more as I saw Christoph lunge for Vasile and I gasped.

Vasile whined and tears ran down my face. I gasped and tried to run to him but someone grabbed my arm pulling me back. I sobbed and fell to my knees. I had tried to be strong but I couldn't. Not when Vasile could lose everything.

Vasile growled and snapped his head back up biting Christoph and then carrying on. It seemed to take forever and it was painful to watch them fight. Vasile was up on his feet growling and I could feel his natural power rolling over me and I knew then that Vasile was giving him the chance to give up. Except Christoph didn't take it. He growled in defiance and tried to bite Vasile his claws catching his face and I whimpered as he bled.

However Vasile growled and attacked Christoph ripping into his stomach leaving bite marks and blood as he fought back. I winced and held my stomach as it rolled making me feel sick. I sighed and stood back up shaking. Nina took my arm and I looked at her but she looked straight ahead as Vaile took Christoph's throat and pulled at it. Christoph let out one last whine and then fell silent as he lay on the grass bleeding out.

Vasile let back his head and howled in victory and the rest of the pride followed suit as they all agreed to follow his command. This was the last thing I heard, that and Nina yelling, as I collapsed on the ground.

When I woke up I was laying in mine and Vasile's bed. I groaned and opened my eyes sitting up. My hand went to my stomach in worry but I found I couldn't move both. The other was trapped in Vasiles.

Vasile lay on the bed not touching me as if he was afraid to hurt me the only contact being him holding my hand. I sighed and lay back down close to him. I rested my head on his chest and one of his arms instinctively wrapped around me.

Slowly Vasile opened his eyes to look down at me and I smiled. Vasile mumbled something in Romanian and I smiled not caring and kissed his lips softly. Looking at him signs of the fight were obvious and. He had a split lip and a scratch on his face and a few bruises. Luca would have healed the rest.

"Alina" he mumbled and I smiled.

"Yes Vasile I am here" I whispered and he smiled.

"You passed out" he told me and I looked down.

"I know" I whispered and he cupped my cheek.

"Ma said it had something to do with the baby" he told me and I

"Is he okay?" I asked and Vasile chuckled pulling me against him my back now against his chest as his hands trailed patterns on my stomach.

"Yes you are both fine" he told me nuzzling my neck.

"Thank god" I whispered and he smiled.

"He?" Vasile asked and I smiled nodding blushing a little.

"Yes, I .. I always think of our baby as a son. Strong and brave like his dad" I told him and he smiled pulling me close.

"I will love our child whether it is a boy or a girl" he promised.

"I know" I told him and kissed him. A baby was going to be hard work but we could do it. I loved him. He was beautiful and he was mine.

NINA

I lay in bed with Luca knowing this was it. It was our time to die. I sighed and clung to Luca's best not wanting to let go. I couldn't not see him everymorning. I couldn't not leave my son.

"Nina we have to. We don't have a choice" he told me and I nodded looking up at him.

"Just another hour please" I begged and he nodded holding me.

"One more and then it has to happen otherwise it will not be the way we planned" he said and I nodded. Everyone got to choose how they died but if they went back on it the great luna would kill them without warning and it would not be peaceful and I didn't want that.

"I know I just… I cant leave him. Alina is having a baby and he doesn't know-" I began and I began to worry. Vasile would need help with the baby I knew he would. He would be too upset by our death and Alina wouldn't be able to cope.

All these thought ran through my head causing tears to sting my eyes but as usual Luca interrupted me and made me see sense. My beautiful mate had a way of doing that. He was the person who could always calm me down and we belonged together. In life and in death.

"Nina neither of us had our parents there to support us when you were pregnant and Vasile turned out okay" he told me chucking and I smiled.

"Yeah he did. I love you Luca" I whispered and he nodded.

"I love you too. Thankyou for everything. You have given me a family and when I met you, you managed to give me back the hope that I thought I had lost forever"

"You would have found it again" I promised him and he held me tighter.

"No I wouldn't have. You are my everything and I needed you. I still do" he whispered and I nuzzled his neck tears in my eyes.

"I know. I need you too. You made me understand so many things and I am in your debt. Forever" I whispered my voice hoarse.

"No you are not. I have spent five hundred years with you and I have never even thought of you as anything else but my equal except on some occasions when I have thought of you as my superior. You are strong and loving and mine. Always." He told me and I nodded the tears spilling loose.

"I love you my beautiful mate. I always have. When I first met you I thought it was impossible for me to love you. You were so different but you are mine and my life has been complete with you. You are strong and you have protected me through everything" I sobbed and he pulled me close kissing my head.

"It is time" he whispered.

"I know" I nodded I could feel the pull of the great Luna pulling us back to her.

"I love you Luna" He told me and nodded smiling.

"I love you too Luca" I told him and lay on his chest closing my eyes giving into the pull as I felt Luca do the same. I felt myself being pulled towards the sky and it wasn't as bad as I thought.

I saw Vasile sleeping peacefully with Alina his hands on her stomach and I knew he would be okay. I saw every member of our pack and I knew they would be safe with my son. He was a good leader and he would serve them well.

I also then tuned back to look at our bed where Luca and I still lay. We were wrapped around eachother and we looked happy and peacefull. We were happy. I smiled and welcomed death then. It was my time and I knew it. Luca and I would be together soon and I would be able to watch my baby boy. And with that thought I was consumed by death and the darkness that came with it.